Box-fastener.



sas, have invented a ne w and useful Box-Fas- Patented August 16, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS M. HOLMES, OF BEAGLE, KANSAS.

BOX-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 767,482, dated August 16, 1904.

Application filed January 4:, 1904.

T0 roll 707mm, 7125 7nay concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beagle, in the county of Miami and State of Kantener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to box-fasteners clesigned especially for use in connection with knockdown or collapsible crates, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in Which the cover may be securely locked in position upon the crate or readily released from the latter for purposes of filling or collapsing the crate and also employed for securely locking the parts of the latter together when in collapsed or folded position.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved fastener applied for securing the cover to a crate and showing the latter in unfolded or operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the fastener employed for maintaining the parts of the crate in collapsed or folded position.

Referring to the drawings, it Will be seen that I have shown my improved fastener applied to a box or crate comprising a base 1, side walls 2, end walls 3, and a cover 4. These parts, which may be of any appropriate construction and material, are, in order that the crate may be collapsed, preferably cletachably connected by means of depending engaging members or devices 7 and 8, carried, respectively, by the sides and ends and designed for engagement with coincident sockets in the form of staples 5 and 6, driven, respectively, into the side and end edges of the base 1.

Tlie cover is securely locked into position upon the crate by means of locking devices 13, each consisting of an operating-lever 14, pivoted, as at 15, to the cover, and a pair of oppositely-extended locking-arms 16, pivoted at their inner ends to the lever upon opposite Serial No. 137,719. (No modal.)

sides of the pivot 15, these locking arms or members 16 being provided at their outer ends with clownwardly-extending angular portions 17, provided at their lower ends with inturned engaging fingers or lips 18. The fingers 18 engage beneath the lower edges of bars 19, attached to and forming a part of the sides 2, and thus presenting seats for the reception of the fingers, whereby when the locking devices are moved to locking position the covr is held firmly clown upon the crate. The locking-arms are moved to and from locking engagement by shifting the levers 14 back and forth, which of course causes an eccentric movement of the lockingarms relative to the pivot 15, and when in lock ing position the levers are securecl against movement by latching members 20, preferably in the form of links pivoted to the outer ends of the levers and having hooks 21, designed for engagement with members 22 in the form of staples driven into the ends 3.

In practice when it is desired t0 collapse the crate the members 21 are released to permit of the levers 14 being swung to unlocking position, thereby permitting read v removal of the cover. The ends and sides are then disengaged from the base loy swinging them outward and disengaging the memloers 7 and 8 from the sockets 5 6. The sides are then laid fiat upon the face of the base and the ends in turn laid upon the sides and the oover placedfiange clownward over said parts. When in the collapsed folded position, as just explained, the parts may be secured for shipment loy seating the engaging fingers 18 beneath the lower face of the base and actuating levers 14 for locking the parts, as heretofore described, after which the members 20 are engaged with studs or similar devices 23, projecting from the end edges of the base.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple inexpensive device which may be readily collapsed or set up for use and one in which the parts will be securely held together in either of said positions. In

obtaining these ends it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein set forth, inasmuch as minor changes within the seope of the appended elaims may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus deseribed my invention, what I elaim is 1. In a device of the class deseribed, the combination With a crabe, of a removable e0ver theref0n and means for loeking ohe eover, said 1neans eomprising a pivoted operatinglever, a pair of oppositely-extending loeking members connected with said lever and formed for engagement with the walls of the crabe, a link pivoted to the lever, and a deviee earried by the erate and. adapned for engagement by the link to seeure the lever in locking positien.

2. In a deviee of the elass deseribed, the eombinacion with a crabe having side and end walls, 0f bars earried by an opposite pair 01" said walls, the lower edges of said bars conmy own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. HOLMES.

VVitnesses:

R. R. NICKELL, LEWIS CLINE. 

